Tuesday, May 29, 2018

End of May Update

I just browsed through my phone again and grabbed some pics for this month.  I stitched up Waiting for Christmas Night by Mani di Donna as my SAL ornament this month.  Having taken a class at Celebration with Simona Bussiglieri earlier this month, it felt like time to do this one from my list.  The chart is in the 2016 Christmas-Winter Issue of Punch Needle and Prim Stitching Magazine.  I used an unknown scrap of 36 ct Lakeside Linens fabric and subbed the floss with Crescent Colors floss... simply because I had my ring of CC floss on hand and it was easier to just use it.  😊
At some point I wanted to just do a little small project.  I decided to do Lalylala's Last Minute Easter Bunny-Egg CAL from her Instagram account.  It's very wee.  I used some Scheepjes Cotton 8 yarn I had on hand.  DH now has it sitting on his desk...lol.
I completed part 4 of Red Agape's Casual Granny CAL this month.  The two circular ones are the new addition.  There are 32 total squares made up so far, but it was easier to photograph one example of each style of square.  I am having great fun with this CAL.  I am using leftover Stylecraft DK yarn, and am enjoying selecting my colors each month.
This month I continued on with LHN's Farmhouse Christmas.  I am now through the first four parts and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the fifth.  I am stitching mine on Lakeside Linens 40 ct Reindeer linen.  It's so sweet and tiny.  Just love it.
A new start this month is Rosewood Manor's Garden Row, a design from the 2015 CS&N Keepsake Calendar.  These colors are super cheerful.  My linen is Lakeside Linens 36 ct Pecan Butter.
My second class at Celebration this month was with the incomparable Jeannette Douglas.  I greatly enjoyed sitting with an old stitching friend in this class and we enjoyed Jeannette's enigmatic style, quick wit and exceptional needlework skills...
This is the very pretty project we began stitching in the class πŸŽΆπŸ˜ŽπŸ˜‰
Also, my niece continues to become quite the devoted crocheter.  Only two months as a crocheter, and last night she texted me these adorable photos of Lalylala's ladybird complete with a pupa.  Caitlin chose pinks and yellows for her ladybird, putting her bachelor's degree in design right to work....love it! 😚
A side view...oh those wings!!
And in the pupa πŸ˜‡
Earlier in the month, Caitlin hooked up Lalylala's Snail.  Her DH chose the colors.  I cannot believe how quickly she has picked this art up.  So proud of her.
My garden has begun to show up a bit for the party now....a very late spring here, but at last there are blooms... my favorite Siberian Iris is looking good today...
Some dwarf miniature iris...
Another dwarf miniature iris....πŸ˜†
And now, with a heavy heart, I share that on May 4th we said goodbye to our beloved Anouk.  Anouk would have been 16 on June 15th.  She survived a partial mastectomy two years ago.  Sadly, cancer still grabbed her and she quickly began to fail.  I hope she found her way over the Rainbow Bridge and is reunited with her sister/littermate Lily who left us in 2016.  We miss Anouk terribly 😐   I miss her deep throaty chirps for her dinner.  I will always love you, Anouk πŸ˜™

Thursday, May 03, 2018

End of April Update

April has ended, so what pics are in my phone...  here is the ornament I made in April.  This is Love in a Manger Ornament by Brightneedle.  It is stitched one over one on Country French Linen.  I subbed the silk with various CC floss.
Near the end of the month I also found some inspiration to start yet another crochet project.  I plan to put my Attic24 SSDK Coast Colour Pack to use for a special something here....
And earlier this week.... daffodils, at long last, in my garden!!
Celebration of Needlework in Nashua, NH has kicked off now for 2018.  This morning I took a very informative class with Simona Bussiglieri of Mani di Donna. She walked us through every step to construct this beautiful class project...
Crown Basket...  this will be fun to make someday πŸ˜†  I have another class with a different instructor on Saturday moring too.
More daffodils today!!  😎
And an incredibly proud moment to share.  My niece wanted to learn crochet, and most especially wanted to make amigurumi.... and more specifically, Lalylala designs.  She jumped right in.  Her first project is shown above, took her only a couple of days.  Meet Carla, the Dutch iris bulb.  Simply perfect!!  πŸ˜™